Namur, Belgium – The Namur Public Prosecutor’s Office has requested a €1,250 fine, with the possibility of partial suspension, against Olivier Pitance, the sole kayak-rental operator on the Lesse River, for four environmental infractions committed in 2023.
His two companies, Dinant Tourism and Dinant Adventure, also face fines of €5,000 each for their alleged involvement. The case centers on breaches of operational permits regulating kayak launches on the river.
The first infraction involves exceeding the permitted number of daily kayak launches on five occasions in 2023: June 10 and 17, July 18 and 22, and August 18. Pitance has acknowledged that his company operated more kayaks than allowed on these dates.
A second violation concerns unauthorized embarkation times at Gendron, where kayaks were launched after the permitted hours on June 10 and July 22, 2023.
Additionally, Pitance and his companies are accused of failing to implement a reliable counting system to track daily kayak launches, as required by their permits.
A further charge relates to the absence of toilet facilities at Chaleux, a requirement stipulated in the permit. Authorities noted the lack of these facilities during an inspection on June 10, 2023.
The Walloon Region has joined the case as a civil party, seeking financial compensation for ecological, material, and moral damages allegedly caused by the infractions.
Legal Dispute Over Permit Conditions
Pitance’s defense, represented by lawyer Me Pâques, argues that his client was placed in a difficult position by an administrative decision from the Walloon Region’s Environment Minister, Céline Tellier (Ecolo).
In May 2023, the minister mandated a reduction in the maximum daily kayak launches from 1,969 to 1,169. Pitance challenged this order by filing an appeal with the Council of State in November 2023, and a ruling is expected in November 2025.
Given the pending appeal, the defense requested the Namur Criminal Court to postpone its ruling until the Council of State delivers its judgment.
As an alternative, the lawyer urged the court to disregard the 2023 ministerial decision and instead apply the older 2004 permits. Under these older regulations, Pitance’s activities would not constitute violations, he argued.
The Namur Criminal Court is set to render its judgment on April 18. The case highlights the ongoing tensions between tourism operators and environmental regulations aimed at preserving natural resources in Wallonia.
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